Video games should be, at their core, novels where you can control the main character.

Take for example, Final Fantasy VII (Because I just loved it that much), the game was so amazing, not because of the turn-based combat, but because of the story telling elements.

Final Fantasy successfully familiarized the player with all the characters well enough so that when one of them died, Aeris for example, the player felt as if someone that they had known for more than 10 minutes had died.

Furthermore, Aeris was an extremely amiable character.

Most of the Final Fantasies, Lost Oddysey, and etc. Are the most ready examples of good story telling and tear evoking games.

- In conclusion we don't need a game developer telling us how to make good games, but a good writer.

The only things to make me almost cry are good TV shows, movies and books.

I am immune to video games because as soon as I hit reset, guess what? Everything is as it should be, no one has to die and everyone can hold hands and sing songs. Till I decide to watch said person die again and again, because clearly this person was a token thing meant to instill emotions into me.

Actually the only time I ever cared for a comrade in a video game was the dog in Fable 2, well played Peter Molyneux... well played.

Reminiscence. The return to Shadow Moses in MGS4 made me cry after hearing all the flashbacks.

Something that makes me cry in games are when everybody seems to survive to the end, but then suddenly, right before making it out and saving the day, one or more of the characters are just ripped from the rest of the party. I just can't stand the thought that I made it out of there alive by only a few seconds and everyone behind me is dead.

I've only had a few movies make me cry, but you become immersed and connected with the characters over the entire coarse of the game, so obviously, you will feel at least a bit saddened by whatever it is they go through.

Jangles:Video games should be, at their core, novels where you can control the main character.

Take for example, Final Fantasy VII (Because I just loved it that much), the game was so amazing, not because of the turn-based combat, but because of the story telling elements.

Final Fantasy successfully familiarized the player with all the characters well enough so that when one of them died, Aeris for example, the player felt as if someone that they had known for more than 10 minutes had died.

Furthermore, Aeris was an extremely amiable character.

Most of the Final Fantasies, Lost Oddysey, and etc. Are the most ready examples of good story telling and tear evoking games.

- In conclusion we don't need a game developer telling us how to make good games, but a good writer.

The entire time I was reading the article I was thinking why haven't they mentioned Aeris dying. That is the only time I ever cried playing a game. I also cried again when I reloaded my game to make sure she had to die. I guess their right when they say denial is the first sage of grief.

Fallout 3, Mr. Rouse? That game didn't make me cry. It made me angry. It made me think "this could've been game of the year, but the ending sucked so badly that I have to give this award to another game". It's the reason I wouldn't recommend anyone even consider the game without at least Broken Steel added on to it.

Cried?No.Shed a few tears? Yeah, happens sometimes. I only get that response from the same thing once, so I guess I must lack a soul.So, instead of throwing tear jerkers at me, developers could try improving on gameplay. Possibly.

I shed a few tears in Heavy Rain when you get to that really depressing second scene where it's just Ethan trying to make a connection with his kid and getting shut down essentially. Especially when he Ethan starts crying when he just wipes away the dust from his architecture plan. God that game is really sad at times.

Amazing execution is key to bringing out emotions. What use are these emotions if you can't express them.

Mother 3 is the saddest game I have ever played. I've felt sad during many games and shed tears during a select few. But Mother 3 destroyed me. It is also one of my favorite games of all time, since no other game has ever triggered such a strong emotional response in me. I would say it nailed all of those points perfectly, and then some, spoilers avoided.

It's interesting to see what different things make different people cry. For instance: when my brother played Mother 3, the final scene made him cry the hardest. When I played it, chapter 6 made me bawl like a newborn baby. Different things strike different people differently. But good writing should be able to convey the emotion, not just state it's there. If they do that, people will feel sad, even if they don't cry.

I think another thing that might help make videogames more of a crying medium is creating situations where you truly fight for somebody. If it was your kid, or your lover, You'd just about send the person threatening that person you care about to oblivion if it meant that they'd never touch them again.

I don't know if it's because I've never had anybody to really fight for, but when I played King Kong: The Official game of the movie, The one thing that moved me to tears was the idea of Me playing Kong, trying to save Ann.

I don't know why, she's just a video game model of a gorgeous woman I'd never have a chance with, but when she screams and the T-Rex comes after her and I slug one of those things in the face and break its jaw so it won't do it again, I well up with tears, and I don't know why. I don't know if it is the animator or the writers doing so well, but I'm certainly not a 50ft Gorilla, but I relate so strongly with him that I'd kill a CGI T-Rex if it meant he'd never touch her.

Okay, I'll man up and admit it. Metal Gear Solid 4 actually brought me to tears on my first playthrough, especially Act 4. Walking in such a familiar area, looking at the broken security cameras, and listening to The Best Is Yet To Come and I just sat there, reflecting on how far the series has come.

It was an emotional moment as I thought about playing the NES port of Metal Gear as a child. I thought about my elementary school friend introducing me to Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake. I thought about the day I was browsing the racks at Blockbuster to find Metal Gear Solid, then taking it home and beating it in one day, completely blown away by it. I thought about the day I rushed home from school just so I can pick up a copy of Sons of Libery. I thought about how, despite the deception, I grew to like Raiden. I thought about the day I found a copy of Metal Gear on NES at a garage sale for $0.50, rushing back home to relive the memories. I thought about dominating the forests of Russia in Snake Eater, playing as Solid Snake's father and hilariously meeting Johnny's grandfather (who I spared). And here I am again, as Solid Snake, back in Alaska staring at a broken camera, listening to audio flashbacks, dodging guards that weren't there anymore, and spending the whole level on top-down view (1000 points!).

The hand-to-hand fight between Solid Snake and Liquid Ocelot had it's own emotional weight as well. Two men, who experienced things that no normal solder could imagine. Two men who fought, bled, and gave every ounce of their existence for what they believed. Solid Snake, the hero. Ocelot, the anti-hero. Adversaries for decades. And this was their last duel, their final mission. Only one of them was walking away alive.

Then in the next minute, I'm watching Snake at the cemetery, ready to take his own life. At that point, I couldn't hold back anymore. This was Snake. A character hero since my childhood. A character I played from a pixelated green blob to what he is now. This wasn't just any regular game character, this was my character. And when that screen went black, I sobbed like a bitch. Needless to say I actually cheered to see the final ending, the real resolution. I cheered when Big Boss showed up, and I hissed when Zero died. This was a great conclusion to a brilliant series. And it sure went out with a bang. I know there are more Metal Gear Solid games coming out, but Snake's tale is over.

The only game that ever came close to making me feel like this was Episode 4 of Tales of Monkey Island. I had a similar reflection, looking back at all the adventures I had with Guybrush Threepwood, from when my friend introduced me to the series up till now. After that, I was hanging on the edge of my seat waiting for Episode 5 to come out.

SimuLord:Fallout 3, Mr. Rouse? That game didn't make me cry. It made me angry. It made me think "this could've been game of the year, but the ending sucked so badly that I have to give this award to another game". It's the reason I wouldn't recommend anyone even consider the game without at least Broken Steel added on to it.

Bad example.

I'll agree with it as an example but "not even consider"? It's just one mission at the end, if you don't do it you can keep on playing or at least reload after the ending.

As for this topic, I have yet to get teary from a video game but I think it is possible... still waiting on it though...

Until this week a movie has never made me cry either. "UP" made me a bit sniffly. Made my eyes glisten a little bit. However I just saw "Grave of the Fireflies" and sobbed like a baby. That movie just keeps punching you in your grief-box.

If they made a game that would make me cry, it'd have to elicit the gamer to have a connection to the characters and care then consistently hammer home depressing events with the characters desperately trying to overcome them and failing.

Jangles:Video games should be, at their core, novels where you can control the main character.

Take for example, Final Fantasy VII (Because I just loved it that much), the game was so amazing, not because of the turn-based combat, but because of the story telling elements.

Final Fantasy successfully familiarized the player with all the characters well enough so that when one of them died, Aeris for example, the player felt as if someone that they had known for more than 10 minutes had died.

Furthermore, Aeris was an extremely amiable character.

Most of the Final Fantasies, Lost Oddysey, and etc. Are the most ready examples of good story telling and tear evoking games.

- In conclusion we don't need a game developer telling us how to make good games, but a good writer.

guiltless:It didn't even have to be as drastic as Aeris I Was even upset when Biggs, Wedge, and Jesse died in the beginning of the game. But agreed Square Enix knows how to make you care about a character.

OMG Aeris DIES? Use spoilers next time...

Seriously though, welcome to the Escapist. May your stay be a long one. =)

OT: It all comes down to the writing. You can have the best looking game in the world, with the most awesome gameplay, but if your writing means that all your characters are made of cardboard then there's not going to be the emotional attachment needed to evoke emotional responses.

Although games have made me feel sad at points (such as the afforementioned Aeris) I have never payed on that has made me cry.